Typewriting machine



I R. s. THOMPSON ET AL 'Aug. 15', 1933.

TYPEWRITING ncnmn Filed Sept. 11-. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 lfiventorsRussell 6'. Thompgan Cheste Orammne fizeir ATTORNEY Aug. 15, 1933. R.THOMPSON El AL TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2lvzveniors Passe? l GThomfison W Crumrine them ATTORNEY R. G. THOMPSONET AL TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1930 w 3 Sheets-Sheet 3ZWLY/GfiZOWS Russefl Tlwmpao rz a Cruwzrine their ATTORNEY Patented Aug.15, 1933 v PATENT orricr.

1,922,991 'rYrEwnrrnvG momma.

Russell G. Thompson and Chester Crumrine, Rochester, N. Y., asslgnors toElectromatic Typewriters, Inc 'tion of-New York R ochester, N. Y., aCorpora- Application September 11, 1930 Serial No. -481,216

8 Claims, (01. 191 -160) This invention relates to improvements intypewriting machines, and particularly to devices for feeding the inkingribbons ,of such machines step by step from one spool toanother and forautomatically reversing the direction of feed when the ribbon isentirely fed from one of the spools.

The principal object of the invention is to :pro-

vide a ribbon feeding mechanism for power operalso, provided .forautomatically throwing the devices for feeding the ribbon in onedirection out of operation and the devices for feeding it in theopposite direction into operation when the ribbon reaches the end of itsfeeding movement in one or the other direction.

Still another object of theinvention is to provide a ribbonfeeding'mechanism in which the forcefor moving the ribbon is resilientlyapplied thereto, and the devicesfor reversing the direction of its feedare actuated positively though controlled by the ribbon itself so thatno undue strains which might break or otherwise injure the ribbon areever applied thereto.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction andarrangement ,of parts that will appear from the following descriptionwhen read in conjunction with the accompanying at the leftside of themachine,.the ratchet wheel. and devices cooperating therewith beingremoved,

drawings, the novel features being pointedout in the claims at the endof the specification.

i In the drawings:

Fig. 1' is a side elevation of a ribbon feedin -mechanism constructedaccording to one embodiment of the invention, the power devices and oneof the key levers for operating the same being shown associatedtherewith; 1'

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ribbon devices the parts being shownin the position they occu py'Twiien the ribbon approaches the limit ofits movement'tothe right; A

Fig. 3- is a similar view showing the positionof the parts when theribbon reaches the limit of its movement to the right anddust before thefeed the ribbon in the opposite direction; 7

Fig.4. is a similar view showing the position of the parts just afterthe pawl has moved into engagement with ther'atchet wheel to turn the spl; i

Fig.-5 is a fragmentary view of the pawl and. ratchet device forturning. the spool, the pawl being'shown in its inoperative position; VFig. 6 is a similar view showing the pawl in its operative retractedposition; 1 Fig.7 is a view similarto Fig. 2 but showing the devices atthe right side of the machine, at the time when the feeding devices atthe right side of the machine are operative and those at the left sideare inoperative;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the devices at the rightside of the machine, the feedpawliis engaged with the ratchet to ingdevices being operative;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the 7 devices at theright side of the machine, thefeeding devices being inoperative;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 showing the ratchetatthe right side of the machine operatively engaged by its operatingdevices,

and a I Fig. 11 is a similar view showing theoperating devices ininoperative position.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to thesame parts in all the views, 1 indicates'a key lever having a key 2 andpivoted on a fixed pivot rod 3 extending across the machine- "A'spring 4is connected thereto and anchored on a fixed part of the machine for.resiliently maintaining the'ke'y lever in normal elevated position. Aguide comb .5 is provided at the front of the keyboard, and is providedwith slots in which the 'key levers are guided. Although only one keylever is shown herein, it will be understood that the usual number areor may be employed. I

In the drawings; a well known type'of power operated machine isillustrated, the power operating devices comprising a driven roller 6with which a plurality of key selected cams 7 are downward toapointadjacent the driven roller on which the cam is mounted. Each of the camshas a reentrant portion which is normally adjacent the face. of thedriven roller but out of engagement therewith. When, however, the cam-ismoved forwar from this position, it frictionaiiy engages the's aceoffthe roller and isrotated thereby, which rotation swings the bellcrank on its pivot to actuate a type bar or other device throughmechanism presently to be described. A.

stop lever 10 is pivoted on the bell crank 8 and is provided with stops8* and 8 movable in the path of stops on the cam to arrest it in normalinoperative position. The lever 10 has an ofiset lug 11 at its upper endwhich is engaged by the bifurcated end 12 of a downwardly projecting armon the key lever 1. When the key lever is depressed, it swings the lever10 to disengage the lug on the cam which is turned into engagement withthe driven roller by the action of a spring-pressed lever 10.

The bell crank lever 8 has a forwardly extending arm to which is pivotedone end of a link 13, the other end of which is pivotally connected withone arm of a bell crank lever 14 also pivoted on the rod 3. The bellcrank lever 14 has a rearwardly and upwardly projecting arm to which ispivoted one end of 'alink 15, the other end of which is pivoted to alever 16 pivotally connected at 17 with a type bar 18 having types atits end adapted to impress a work sheet on a platen through the inkingribbon 19. A spring 20 connects the lever 16 with a fixed part andresiliently maintains the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 1.The parts described above are of well known construction and form nopart of the present invention except as they may enter into combinationtherewith.

Revolubly mounted on the sides of the machine are ribbon spools 21 and22, between which the' inking ribbon 19 isarranged, and is guided on thearms 23 and 24 on the left and right sides of the machine respectivelyand through the usual ribbon vibrator,'not shown, arranged at theprinting point, which moves the ribbon into the path of the types asthey move into engagement with the platen. Each of the spools 21 and 22is provided with a ratchet 25 or 26- respectively which are adapted tobe operatively engaged-by the pawls 27 and 28. One of the pawls 27 or 28is always in operative engagement with its ratchet, and is moved to aninoperative position when the other is moved into operative engagementwith its ratchet. The pawls are operative to wind the ribbon in oppositedirections so that when one of the pawls'is moved out of operativeposition and the other into operative position, the direction of feed ofthe ribbon is reversed. Assuming the parts to be in the position shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings, the pawl 27 engages its ratchet. to wind theribbon on the spool 21 to,

feed the ribbon from right to left, the spool 22 free to rotate underthe tension of the ribbon. Pivotally mounted on the pivot rod 3 is alever having a rearwardly and downwardly extending arm 30, which arm hasa laterally offset portion 31 at its end which lies in the path of auniversal bar 32 pivoted on a fixed part at 33. Each of the levers 14'has a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 34- which engages theuniversal bar 32 and actuates it to operate the lever 30 each time alever 14 is operated. Said lever also .has an arm 35 extending upwardlyfrom the pivot 3 and at its upper end is bent forwardly to form a finger36 which has an open slot or guideway '37 which engages a laterallyprojecting fixed pm 38 which serves to limit the movements of the leverin opposite directions.

At its upper end, the arm 35 has a laterally projecting arm or finger40, best seen in Figs. 5 and 6, on which the pawl 2'7 is loosely seated.

The pawl 27 may be constructed of any suitable material and when in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 6 resiliently engages the teeth of theratchet 25. A spring 41 is connected to the forwardend of the pawl andswings it toward the ratchet and maintains it on the finger 40, andtends to resiliently swing the lever arm 35 and the pawl mounted thereonrearwardly to turn the spool and wind the ribbon thereon. Mounted on theouter end of the pin or stud 38 to swing thereon is a detent member 42which extends rearwardly from the stud beneath the pawl 2'7, and at itsrearward-end is bent upwardly to engage the ratchet in rear of thepawl.' The rear end of the spring 41 is connected to the detent 42 andtends to resiliently maintain it in engagement with the ratchet toprevent accidental rotation of the spool in a reverse direction. Thedetent 42 is provided with an upwardly extending lug or guide 43 on itsouter edge which engages the pawl 27 and serves to maintain the pawl inalinement with the teeth of the ratchet. When a type bar 18 is actuated,the arm 35 is moved against the tension of the spring 41 forwardly fromthe position shown in Figs. 1 or 3 to the Figs. 4 or 6 position,carrying the pawl 27 with it from the Fig. 1 to the Fig. 6 position, andwhen the arm 30 is released the arm 35 and the pawl are returned to theFig. 1' position by the action of the spring '41 and turns the spool.The devices at the right side of the machine for turning the spool 22 tofeed the ribbon in the reverse direction are shown in Figs. 7 to 11 ofthe drawings and are similar to those at the left side. Said devicescomprise a lever having the arms 45 and 46 similar to the lever 30, 35,and also actuated by the universal bar 32 which extends across themachine. The upper end of the arm 46. has a laterally extending lug orfinger 47on which the pawl 28 is loosely'seated.

The arm 46 also has a forwardly extending finger 48 having a guidewaythereon which engages ,a .laterally projecting pin or stud 49 on a fixedpart of the machine which limits the move-- front end of the pawl withthe detent and resili ently maintains the detent in engagement with theratchet, the pawl in engagement with the ratchet and positioned on thearm 47, and the arm 46 and pawl 28 carried thereby, in the nor malposition shown in Fig. 10. When the universal'bar is actuated, the arm46 moves forwardly against the tension of the spring 51, moving the pawl28 with it over a tooth of the ratchet, and when the universal barreleases the arm 45, the spring 51 moves the arm 46 rearwardly and withit the pawl 28 to turn the spool. The detent arm 50 is provided with anupwardly-projecting lug or guide 52 on its outer side for guiding thepawl and maintaining it alined with the ratchet. It will be noted thatthe springs 41 and 51 operate to move the pawls to windthe ribbon, sothat the only tension placed on the rib-" bon at any time for feeding itis' that of the retained 'in an inoperative position out of en;

gagement with its ratchet .when the other is operative, so that thespool vfroirr'which the ribbon is fed is free to turn under the tensionof the ribbon which is wound on the other spool by the action of itspawl and ratchet devices. Means are provided for automatically throwingthe op-,

erativepawl out of engagement with its ratchet and releasing theinoperative pawl simultaneously to permit its spring to move it intoengagement with its ratcliet to reverse the direction of movement of'the ribbon when it has reached the limit of its movement in eitherdirection.

To this end, at the left side the ribbon guide arm 23 is pivoted at 53on a fixed part 54 of the frame of the machine. A spring 55 is connectedwith the arm 23 and extends downwardly and forwardly and is anchored onthe fixedpart 54. This spring is operative to resiliently maintain thearm 23 in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in engagementwith a stop 56 projecting inwardly from a member or lever 57 alsopivoted at 53 on the fixed part 54. A

' 7 spring 58 connects the lever 57 with thearm 23,

, stop 56 and is limited in its movement by the enwhich spring istensioned when the arm is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 andtends to swing the lever 57 on its pivot, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thelever 57 is returned to the normal Fig. 2 position by thearm 23 whichengages the The rear end of the lever 57 has a laterally projecting pinor stud 57 thereon which engages an inclined slot 59 formed in therearend of an actuator or lever 60 pivoted on a pin or stud 61 projectinglaterally through an arcuate slot 62 in the fixed member 54. The pin 61projects laterally over the pawl 27 and at its inner end is mountedin-an arm 63 fixed on a shaft 64 which extends across the machine and ispivoted in the fixed member 54 at its left end and in a fixed member 54at the right side of the machine. At its forward end the lever 60 has anupwardly projecting surface forming a lug .or hook 65 adapted to engagethe lug 40 on the arm 35 when the rear endof the lever swingsdownwardly. When the arm 23 swings under the tension of the ribbon fromthe Fig. 2 to the Fig. 3 position, the tension of the spring 58 swingsthe lever 57 r in a'direction to move the lever 60 to engage its lug 65with the projection 40. If new the arm,

35 is actuated,its upper end with the lug 40 moves forwardly to the Fig.4 positionand moves the lever 60 with it, and its pivot 61 swingsupwardly in the slot 62 and releases the pawl and detent to be reengagedwith the ratchet wheel under the action of ,the spring 41.

' the shaft in opposite directions.

At the right side of the machine, shown in Figs. 7 to 11, across-arrhfli) is fixed on the shaft .64 to rotate therewith. Projectinglaterally from this am is a pair of pins '71 and 72 arranged at equaldistances from the axis of the shaft so that they both follow an openarcuate slot 73 in the fixed member 54 when the shaft is rotated.Pivoted on the .outer end of the pin 71 and arranged on the outer sideof the fixed member 54 is'an actuating member or lever 74 having at itsforward end an upwardly inclined portion ter- At the same time, the varm 63 in which the pivot 61 is fixed swings the minating in an upwardlyprojecting lug 75 adapt.- ed to engage the laterally projecting lug 47on the upper end of the arm 46. At its rear end, the actuator 74 isbifurcated to form an open slot 76 which engages a laterallyprojectingheaded stud 77 on a lever 78 mounted on the pivot 79 on whichthe arm 24 is also pivoted. At its forward end the lever 78 has a stoparm or finger 80 projecting inwardly over the top of the fixed member 54and in the path of the arm 24. A spring 81 connects the finger 80 withthe arm 24 and tends to swing the lever 78 on its pivot when the arm 24swings under the tension of the ribbon and against the action of aspring 55" which resiliently connects the arm 24 with the fixed part 54and normally maintains the arm in engagement with the stop 80. The otherpin 72 on the cross-arm 70 projects laterally through a clearanceprovided therefor in the actuator 74 and is arranged between the pawl 28and its ratchet 26. When the shaft 64 is rotated from theposition shownin Figs. 8 and 10 "to the position shown. in Figs. li and 11, the pin 72inoves to disengage the, pawl and detent fromoperative engagement withthe ratchet and retains them in such position until moved in the reversedirection, when 'reengagement with the ratchet.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 10, with the pawloperatively engaging the ratchet, when the shaft 64 is turned by thedevices at the other end of the machine to permit the pawl 27 to moveinto engagement with its ratchet, the pin 72 is swung downwardly andmoves the pawl 28 and engages the guide 52 on the detent 50 and moves itand the pawl against the action of the spring 51 to the position shownin Fig. 11 out of engagement with the ratchet,

in which position it retains them. When the pawl and detent are in theposition shown in Fig. 11, the spool 22 is free to rotate in a directionto pay off the ribbon as it is wound on the spool at the other side ofthe machine. When theribbon is entirely paid from the spool, it istensioned by the continued feed or pull from the other side of themachine and swings the guide arm 24 rearwardly against the tension ofits spring 55 away from the stop 80 and pulls the lever 78 through thespring 81 and turns it on its pivot, which operation swings the actuator74 and engages it's lug 75 with the projection 47 on the arm' 46. Whenthe arm 46 swings under the action of the universal bar, the lug 47swings forwardly and moves the lever or actuator 74 bodily with itandturns the cross-head 70 on which it is pivoted, and with it the shaft63, moving the pin 72 to permit the spring 51 to move the pawl anddetent into reengagement ,with the arm 63 at the other side of themachine from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5, andswings the pawl 27 and detent 42 out of engagement-with the ratchet 25simultaneously with the movement of the pawl 28 and detent 50 intoengagement with the ratche 26. As the shaft 64 turns in one direction orthe other under the action of the actuator 60 or 74, the pivot of theacuator moves downwardly and disengages it from its engagement with thelug 40 or 47.

It sometimes happens that the fingers 40 or 47 are in the paths of thelugs 65 or 75 when the arm 23 or 24 is moved to tension the spring 58 or81 and prevents the movement of the associated actuator 60 or 74. Whenthe arm 35 or 46 is actuated, however, the finger 40 or 47 is movedtotward the actuator and cams it against the tension of the spring 58 or81 until the shoulder of the lug is reached, when said spring swings theactuator to move its lug into the path of the finger.

It will be noted that a ribbon mechanism thus constructed is positive inaction, is not liable to get 'out of order and hence is capable of rapidactuation, and does .not place undue strain on the ribbon at any time. 1

Although only one embodiment of the invention is illustrated herein, itwill be understood that this application is intended to'cover suchchanges or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention orscope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon,key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbonwith which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the typebars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawlsadapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind theribbon thereon, a rock shaft extending between said ratchets, meanson-said shaft adapted to operatively engage said pawls and retain one ofthem out of engagement with its ratchet while the other engages itsratchet, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted, andmeans actuated by the tension of the ribbon for operatively connectingsaid shaft with one of said key controlled levers for turning the shaftin one direc ion to release one pawl to engage its ratchet and to movethe other pawl out of engagement with its ratchet to reverse the feedingdirection of the ribbon and in the other direction to move the firstpawl out of engagement with its ratchet and release the second pawl toreengage its ratchet.

2. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon,key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbonwith which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the typebars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawlsmovable into and out of operative engagement with said ratchets, keycontrolled levers on which said pawls are mounted, resilient means formoving said levers in one direction to move the pawls to turn theratchets, key controlled means for moving the levers to retract thepawls over the teeth of the ratchets, a shaft arranged between saidratchets, means on one end of said shaft movable into engagementwith-one of said pawls for disengaging it from its ratchet, means on theother end of said shaft for retaining the other pawl out of engagementwith its ratchet but movable to permit it to reengage its ratchet whenthe shaft moves to disengage the first pawl from its ratchet, and meanscontrolled by the tension of the ribbon for operatively connecting saidshaft with one of said key controlled levers to be actuated thereby whenthe lever moves to retract the pawl."

3. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon,key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbonwith which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the typebars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawlsadapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind theribbon thereon, levers on which said pawls are mounted, springs adaptedto move the pawls into engagement with the ratchets and swing the leversto turn the ratchets, key controlled means for moving the levers toretract the pawls over the teeth of the ratchets, a rock shaft, means onthe rock shaft for retaining one or the other of said pawls out ofengagement with its ratchet, ribbon controlled members, and meansoperatively connected with said ribbon controlled members and actuatedby said levers for turning the shaft to move one pawl out of engagementwith its ratchet and release the other to permit it to reengage itsratchet.

4. In a typewriting machine having type bars,

printing types thereon, key controlled means foractuating the type bars,of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools onopposide sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchetson said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turnthe spools to wind the ribbon thereon, key controlled levers on whichsaid pawls are mounted, detentspivoted on fixed parts and arrangedbeneath the pawls and engaging the ratchets to prevent accidentalrotation thereof, a spring for retaining the detent resiliently engagedwith the ratchet and moving the key controlled lever to turn theratchet, a rock shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaftfor engaging one of the pawls and detents to move them out of engagementwith the ratchet and releasing the other pawl and detent to permit themto move into engagement with their ratchet, and means controlled by thetension of the ribbon and actuated by said key controlled levers forrocking said shaft.

5. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon,key controlled, means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbonwith which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the typebars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawlsadapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind theribbon thereon, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted,springs for moving said levers to move the pawls to turn the ratchets, arevoluble shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaft forretaining one of said pawls out of engagement with its ratchet while theother engages its ratchet, actuators pivoted on said shaft eccentricallythereto and movable to rotate the shaft to disengage one pawl from itsratchet and release the other pawl to reengage its ratchet,interengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled leverswhereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn the shaft, andribbon controlled means for moving said actuators into engagement withthe key controlled levers.

6. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon,key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbonwith which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the typebars on which the ribbon-is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawlsadapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind theribbon thereon, key controlled levers on which said ,pawls are mounted,springs for moving said levers to move the pawls to turn the ratchets, arevoluble shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaft forretaining one of said pawls out of engagement with its ratchet while theother engagesits ratchet, actuators pivoted on said shaft eccentricallythereto and movable to rotate the shaft to disengage one pawl from itsratchet and release the other pawl to reengage its ratchet,interengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled leverswhereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn the shaft, arms onwhich the ribprinting types thereon, key controlled means for Aactuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type barscooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbonis carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate withsaid ratchets to turn ratchet, actuators pivoted'on said shafteccentrically thereto and movable to. rotate the shaft to disengage onepawl from its ratchet and release the other pawl to reengage itsratchet, in-

terengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled leverswhereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn'the shaft, armsfor guiding said ribbon and movable thereby when the ribbon istensioned, and levers resiliently connected with said arms for movingsaid actuators into engagement with the key controlled levers.

8. In a typewriting machine having typebars,

printing types thereon, power driven means for actuating the type bars,of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, a pair of spoolson which the ribbon .is carried, pawl and ratchet devices associatedwith each of said spools, and means for rendering one of said pawl' andratchet devices inoperative when the other is operative, said meanscomprising a rock shaft, a pair of actuators for turning said shaft inoppositedirections, and means controlled by the tension of the ribbonfor connecting one or the other of said actuators with said power drivenmeans for turning the shaft alternately in opposite directions;

RUSSELL G. THOMPSON.

CHESTER W. CRUMRINE.

